Glitch
by bucklebunny
Summary: alnel. stuck between sides, the Ryusen Clan, founded by Nevelle and Glou, struggles to survive after their deaths. Yet on the eve of Nel's succession as leader, a strange man says he bears a message from... her father? find out why Albel wants to kill him


**Glitch**

PART ONE—SECOND GENERATION

a/n: ok. SO. im slightly ashamed that ive been dead for the longest time. sorry. i have so much i have to get back into, so this story is my way of getting back into the groove of things (also hul-low, like NO alnel right now?! really guys?!!?) even past the fanfiction deal, though, this is my attempt to weave in a larger, actually important theme or moral or whatever you want to call it, in my writing. and this isnt as long slashed labored upon as my normal stuff but you know what i dont care because im actually doing shit for the first time in forever. about the actual story: its not exactly AU, but more like alternate circumstance (albel and nel are on the same side... which is NO side) but that will also change and it will actually morph into the star ocean that we actually played eventually (doesnt make sense now, but it will i promise). YAY.

* * *

I'm a dreamer, and I always have been. I've never thought it was a problem, but now…

I live in a different world than the others around me. I know this—I'm conscious of it. I'm hardly stupid. When you step back, you can see more… understand more of what's going on. If you think about it, I have the upper hand. I'm in control. I know exactly what to do at any moment; I have the perfect strategy. Yet you say you're sorry for me. You say I don't really understand.

Well we'll see who wins in the end.

* * *

Chapter One: Waking

She awoke on this morning to the sun shining through her small windowsill. It reflected off her red hair, making everything around her glow auburn. Catching her red eyelashes, the sunshine lifted her green eyes open. Nel wasn't one to ever stop moving, but on this morning she smiled at the beauty and happiness of this one moment. It was finally Spring… and she was finally an adult.

Deliberate banging of pots and pans cut through the tranquil moment as a procession of screams and cheers and running feet trampled into her gypsy-wagon home. Schweimer, Mayu, Eliza, and Mishell all came tearing through the door and engulfed her bunk, each armed with some combination of lids and pots and spoons to musically accompany the anarchy. Albel Nox, banging his utensils more furiously than any of them, led them, throwing down his instruments and ripping off her sheets as he reached the startled girl. Albel and Schweimer scooped her up kicking and screaming between them. All five intruders broke into song as they dragged her out of her home and menacingly towards the river.

_"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Neeee-eeeeel, happy birthday to you!"_

As they sang, the other members of the Clan looked up from their work or out through their respective windows, beaming and shaking their heads. Damda Mooda, already drunk, leaned fully out his window and belted out the notes as well before he was restrained by anonymous hands and pulled back out of the public eye.

However the river was fast approaching, and Nel had to do something drastic. She managed to kick the squealing Schweimer off of her, but Albel just smirked and assumed the rest of her weight, breaking away from the group in a dash towards the body of water. In a last ditch attempt to get some kind of revenge, Nel switched her tactics and held on to the lean man with all her strength. As he tossed her into the river, Albel accidentally went with her. Rolling around in the frigid stream, both young adults began happily screaming and bickering, as the party around them just laughed from a distance. Nel stopped, still submerged to her thighs, to whisper in Albel's ear, prompting him to smirk. All at once they charged out of the river at full speed towards Schweimer, ambushing and heaving him into the river as well.

Of course Schweimer began whining and bitching immediately about how "unfair and uncool that was, guys", but no one really cared. Everyone was laughing so hard that no one even noticed Albel's continued glances.

* * *

The Ryusen Clan was something special. In a time of such political tension, the Clan was assembled from citizens of both Airyglyph and Aquaria who wanted to escape the impeding war. Some of them had connections to both sides and did not want to be involved, but an ideal Ryusen could not be emotionally involved on either side. All of them were of exceptional skill and knowledge, which allowed them to survive outside the walls of the cities and among the dangerous creatures that roamed the land. Every member knew to pull their weight, or they knew they would be forced to excommunicate themselves. The Clan did not make unreliable members leave—they left of their own accord for the betterment of the group. Once you were in, you knew the Clan came before all else. Once that became a problem, you were no longer Ryusen.

And people had left before. After the tragic deaths of leader Nevelle Zelpher and his second-in-command Glou Nox, the Ryusen Clan was cut down by almost half. Adray Lasbard—close friend to Nevelle and Glou, uncle to Nel and Albel, and driving personality in the Clan—took his young daughter and left for Aquaria after "finding Apras", he said. Like Adray, many of the Clan suddenly became partial to Aquaria after that day. With their leader gone, they had to turn towards some kind of force.

Yet this day was a hopeful one for the Ryusen Clan—today was the day Nel Zelpher, Nevelle Zelpher's daughter and successor, turned twenty and became an adult. It was the day the Clan would gain a leader again.

And this was why Albel needed to keep Nel by his side.

They had been together through childhood—ever since their fathers founded Ryusen together—and had always been hated rivals competing in everything. Yet they were also the only ones who could respect each other as (though they wouldn't admit it) equals and truly understand the other. Both had been extremely close to their fathers, and when they passed away, no one could truly empathize but the other. Since then the pair had always had a silent understanding. And with mixed feelings, Albel knew this was the last day of his unofficial commitment.

On Albel's coming of age a little more than a year ago, Nel had been his delicate protector; watching over him and staying by his side, not demanding to "talk about it"… just being there in all her strength and pride for what their fathers had created. She knew this was the last day he could dwell on his father, and she provided for him that last support needed to push him past his past. In a way, for that day she was his father figure… standing powerfully behind him when he needed strength as he stepped forward for the first time truly as Albel the man, not the son. Of course he still loved and revered his father, but he could finally move on with his life. Nel gave that to him before she even turned nineteen.

But here she was, a beautiful and strong twenty-year-old woman, on the precipice of something even more crucial than the passing on of generations. She was the passing of Ryusen; and her just being there, on this day, finally, gave what that meant new life. Nel Zelpher, becoming the new leader of the Ryusen Clan… personifying that for which both their fathers fought and died. And he knew… Albel was now strong enough to be his father, willing to protect Zelpher—the Ryusen ideal—with his life.

He leant that strength to her just as she had leant it to him.

* * *

Nel stood with her back against one of the wagons on the outskirts of the Ryusen camp. The bonfire behind her flung enough light her way to see, but not very well. The sun was setting, its final light catching the gold thread accenting her light, short green dress. It was her mother's, and she was required to wear a dress for the initiation ceremony. Her father had set this one aside especially.

She wasn't nervous—it was just a lot to think about. Her father… she missed him more than anything. Nel and Nevelle had been inseparable; she was always a 'daddy's girl'. But at the same time, in these years on her own she had grown mature beyond her years. Nel knew this, but… it was hard to let go of being "daddy's girl" forever. First there was no daddy, and now no more girl.

"Zelpher…"

Nel quickly looked up to find Albel beside her, looking concerned. Albel… he had done it. he had overcome his final severance from his father when he turned twenty, and Nel beat him at almost everything, so she knew she could do it to. The question was, did she want to?

She signed and clunked her head back against the wood. "My turn, huh?"

Nox snorted and looked away. "You're a fool. Of course you knew this was coming."

On any other day, Nel would have rolled her eyes and made him repeat what he said using language she would actually respond to, but today was not a normal day. She absentmindedly began biting her thumbnail. Albel stared at her out of the corner of his eye.

"I know you already know this, so I don't know why you're making me feel like I have to say it, but… your father loved two things more than anything else: his daughter, and Ryusen. Though you may be letting go of your childhood—of your life as his daughter—you are becoming everything he ever wanted by taking up Ryusen. You'll always be Zelpher… his daughter… but I think he would want you to move on and take care of everything he loved. I guess what I'm saying is… take care of yourself."

Nel sniffed, smiling to herself. "Thanks Albel. I kind of knew that, but it helps that you said it. You know…" she turned to Albel, who quickly averted his gaze, "I know my dad loved me, and Ryusen, but I know he loved your dad and you as well. He loved you like family, and I…"

Albel froze, completing her sentence in his head. 'She loves me like family too? Like a brother? I mean… I kind of always figured… we never talk seriously about our feelings or our relationship or even really that much apart from our fathers and…'

Nel faltered slightly as Albel red eyes darted back and forth. "I'm just… glad you're here for me like you always have, and I want you to know I'm here for you too, even if I become the leader. I don't want you to treat me any differently."

All Albel could get out was "Ahh…" before the volume of the small crowd around the fire began to rise. Alarmed, both young adults jumped away from the wagon wall, all of a sudden fidgeting. "Is it going to start soon? I'm kind of nervous…" Nel gushed, touching her hair. Albel gazed at her for a second before grabbing her arm by the elbow.

"Wh—?"

"I'm going to escort you, right?"

"N-no, Albel… that would be weird."

He dropped her arm, hiding his hurt by adjusting his hair around his neck. "Fine, whatever, I thought you wanted—"

"I don't mean I don't care, I mean respect, or like, ugh, whatever, Albel… it's just it's like a father-daughter thing, and it would be weird if you were like acting as my dad, you know?"

Albel understood, as was slightly relieved, but it was too late… he was already in a tiff.

"Fine, woman, I'll see you out there."

He began to tromp away but he stopped in his tracks at Nel's tone.

"Albel…? You're really going to leave like that?" When he turned she was looking at him with big round green eyes, her head tilted to the side, bewildered. That was the thing about Nel—though she was wise beyond her years, the innocent and pure little girl Albel knew growing up was always behind her cool mask, somewhere. Grinding his teeth and turning on his heel, Albel approached the birthday girl once more, his eyes flitting towards anything that wasn't her. "Congratulations and good luck," he said stiffly, reaching out to pat her on the head—or at least, so he planned. Instead, his hand stroked her hair from the crown of her head down to her cheek, his thumb running over the top of her cheek bone. Stopping there for a moment, he locked eyes with her startled ones, and in a rusty voice he mumbled, "See you on the other side, Master." He quickly drew away and darted around the corner of the wagon. As soon as he was out of her sight, his heart began to pound hard in his chest and he could feel his face flush and his palms become clammy. He was panting and panicked by the time he reached the fire with the others, focusing on his destination of stump-chair with the goal of 'putting my head in my hands and never making eye contact with Nel again…

'WHAT IN THE HELL DID I DO?!'

Gregory von Dermein III, the bumbling but good-intentioned stand-in leader of the Ryusen Clan, tapped Albel on the head. "Is Miss Zelpher ready yet? I wanna get this thing underway…" Albel didn't even look up, merely grunting. Gregory had been around Albel long enough though to understand that the grunt in fact meant, "Yes, she's ready, but I really don't want to think about her right now because I've done something incredibly stupid as usual and I'd appreciate it if you don't press me about it." Though on any other day, Gregory would have wasted a good amount of time teasing and prodding Albel about it, he instead started towards the wagon concealing Nel.

Because this was not a normal day.

Albel, in his abyss of darkness and despair (ie staring at his knees trying to think about what he was going to do to Schweimer instead of what he DID to Nel), heard a gasp as everyone stopped talking around him. All he could hear was the crackling of the fire and someone panting heavily. He looked up. A strange man was doubled over by the fire, breathing hard and holding onto his knees for support. He was young—in his twenties—with feathery white hair with red tips and random beads and charms strung in throughout. He kept trying to blurt something out but couldn't get enough air. He finally paused before beginning again.

"Is a woman named Nel here? I have a message from her father… Nevelle."

'What… the… hell…?'

After glancing around, Eliza took off running in Nel and Gregory's direction. After a second, an urgent-looking Nel dashed out, followed by Gregory wondering aloud, "What's going on here?"

The strange man stood up, staring at Nel. "It's her…" he murmured to himself, before closing the distance between them and grasping her hand, falling to one knee.

"My name is Fabian Faustus, and I have a message from your father… will you marry me?"

* * *

a/n: So I know it may seem like "WTF Albel is BROODING why isn't he more BROODING and why the hell is he at peace with his father's death when he clearly isn't in the game?!" Well here's my logic: Nel basically had the same deal happen to her (excluding the sacrificing-due-to-incompetence and the arm thing, but that comes up later I promise… and in case you haven't noticed Albel has his arm in this scenario because he didn't live in Airyglyph in the first place). Nel dealt with it in a healthy way… she didn't even want to get revenge on Woltar even though she has the opportunity to. Living in close corridors with Albel, and experiencing the same things as him at the same time, I think she would positively influence him and help him grow past it, which he does in this first scenario (but just wait I'll make sure he doesn't stay healthy for long… because that's not the Albel everyone is so obsessed with). I'm not going to say any more or I'll give things away… just wait.

also, as usual, just freakin review if anything to kick my ass to write more (and i need it believe me).

xoxo

~bucky


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